


Today's Another Day To Find You

by ceealaina



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Cliche Movie Lines, First Meetings, Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Schmoop, dad jokes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-25
Updated: 2018-06-25
Packaged: 2019-05-28 05:45:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15042062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ceealaina/pseuds/ceealaina
Summary: When an over-caffeinated and sleep-deprived Tony Stark meets a tiny, only-slightly-angry Steve Rogers in the local minimart, shenanigans and romance abound. At least their friends have their backs, or they'd probably never get anywhere at all.(Just a silly, schmoopy meet cute featuring my two favourite hot messes.)





	Today's Another Day To Find You

**Author's Note:**

> Once upon a time I went to get gas, and I swear to god, the cashier was pre-serum Steve Rogers. And then, well, this happened.

He wasn’t sure what time it was, exactly. Late. Past midnight, definitely. Which might have been more helpful if he actually knew what _day_ it was.

Tony had just resurfaced from an engineering binge that had lasted, well, x number of days, since he couldn't very well calculate for x if he didn't know what day he was on now. He had vague recollections of Rhodey stopping by, pestering him to eat something, but Tony had no idea if that was two hours ago, or two weeks ago. What he did know was that he was apparently out of coffee, and that was just unacceptable. So he’d grabbed a pair of shoes (not realizing they were mismatched) and a jacket (because he was pretty sure it was still early spring) and headed for the 24-hour mini mart a few blocks away. 

And so here he was, shuffling through the deserted aisles in the early hours of the morning, gathering coffee and whatever other random pieces of food his brain and his stomach decided he needed after not eating in... awhile. 

Finally, coffee and pop tarts in hand, Tony headed for the cash only to find nobody there. He blinked, turning around to look behind him for the missing cashier, and then faced forward again. This time he spotted the tuft of blond hair beneath the counter, the cashier in question apparently doing something on the floor? Tony shrugged and placed his things on the counter, maybe dropping the pop tarts a touch louder than necessary, just so they'd know he was there.

It was another minute before the cashier popped back up, and when he did, Tony just blinked at him. He was a good couple inches shorter than Tony, who was himself considered average on his best day. But he was skinny as hell besides, blond hair styled like he’d just fallen out of the 1940s, with a bright smile on his face and a pile of coins in his hand.

“Sorry about that,” he said brightly when Tony made no move to speak. He jingled the change in his hand. “Dropped all the cash all over the floor.”

Tony was pretty sure he was in love. 

He blinked at the cashier again. His eyes dropped to nametag on his chest proclaiming “Hi! My name is Steve.” Tony rolled the name around his mind, decided it suited, and smiled a little, hoping he looked more flirty than manic. He tried to think of some casual-cool way of asking if Steve was single, or interested, or at least in Tony’s preferred age range, because while Tony didn’t get a teenager vibe off him, it did look a little young. 

“Don’t you have to be sixteen to legally hold a job?” he blurted out instead.

It was official. Tony was never leaving his lab again. 

Steve’s lips flattened, sunny smile disappearing into a truly impressive scowl. “I’m twenty-one,” he bit out.

‘Shit, shit, shit,’ Tony screamed inside his head. ‘Fix it, Stark. Fix it!’

“Oh,” was what he actually said. “I’m nineteen.”

His only consolation was that Rhodey wasn’t here to witness this nightmare. And maybe when he actually died of embarrassment right here on the mini mart floor, Steve would be nice enough to not repeat this conversation when the paramedics asked what had happened.  

Some of his panic must have been showing on his face because Steve’s scowl softened. He frowned at Tony a little, tilting his head like an adorable golden retriever, and right, regular sleep habits were absolutely a thing Tony would be doing from here on out, just please let him get out of here and never have to think of this again. Steve considered him for a long minute before a flicker of a smile ghosted across his lips again.

“Hi nineteen,” he said. “Nice to meet you. I’m Steve.” 

Tony blinked at him again, because did he really just...? Then he was snorting. He saw Steve’s smile grow, and couldn’t help the giggle that escaped. And then he was laughing so hard that he could barely breathe, clutching the counter for support as tears streamed from his eyes.

“Jesus,” Steve muttered, although he was laughing too. “It wasn’t _that_ funny.”

“I’m sorry,” Tony choked out. “I haven’t slept in like... awhile. My name’s not nineteen,” he clarified (like no fucking shit, Stark, did you really think he thought your name was _nineteen_?). “It’s Tony.”

Steve grinned at him, finally ringing his purchases through. “Hi Tony.”

“Hi,” Tony whispered back, unable to tear his eyes away from his sunny smile.

He somehow managed to make it through paying without further humiliation and gathered up his purchases, turning away from the cash with the obligatory thankyouhaveagoodevening.

“Bye Tony!” Steve called after him. Tony could resist looking back over at him as he left. “Maybe I’ll see you around.”

Tony walked into the door on his way out.

Tony startled when he walked in to find Rhodey poking at his current project and, oh god, Rhodey hadn’t been there the whole time, had he? Tony was pretty sure he hadn’t just walked out and left him behind like a complete asshole, but the past few hours were kind of a blur.

“Rhodey! Honeybear! I’ve missed you schnookums.”

Rhodey gave him a skeptical look. Tony expected nothing less. “Where’ve you been?”

Oh, good. So Rhodey hadn’t been here when he left.

“I ran out of coffee. And, uh...” He frowned down at the box in his other hand. “Pop tarts? Why did I buy pop tarts?” He looked back up quickly, giving Rhodey a bright smile because he was absolutely in control of his life. “What are you doing here? It’s like... a time... That is late. I think?”

Rhodey arched an eyebrow. “It’s one am,” he confirmed. “I told you I was gonna come by after my thing? To make sure you had eaten? And hadn’t drowned in your coffee or soldered yourself to the table?” He trailed off with a fond smile. “And you don’t remember that conversation at all, do you, man?”

“What, no,” Tony scoffed. “Of course I remember.”

“Yeah, okay.” Rhodey moved over to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulder and muscling him toward the stairs. “Come on, Tones. Time for bed.”

Tony couldn't help pouting a little. “I’m not actually a child. I can take myself to bed.”

“Yeah,” Rhodey agreed amicably. “But you won’t. Just think of it as reciprocation for when I drank that weird punch at Loki’s party last week. You held my hair while I puked and got me into bed. I’m just returning the favor.”

Tony couldn't really argue with that, and so he let Rhodey steer him upstairs to the mattress on the floor that he called his bedroom. They made it all the way there before Tony remembered that he had to tell Rhodey.

"Rhodey, honey, platypus. I'm in love. I'm leaving you and getting married."

Rhodey snorted, actually tucking Tony into bed because he was an awesome friend like that. "That right?"

"Yes! Rhodey, I met him at the grocery store, and he's perfect, and I'm gonna marry him"

"Uh huh? What's his name?"

"Steve!"

"What's his _last_ name?"

"Uh... Steve!...en...son?"

Rhodey made a noise, his I'm-trying-not-to-laugh-because-it-will-only-encourage-Tony laugh. "And what does Steve Stevenson do?"

"Um. Works in the grocery store?"

"Yeah, okay Tony. Time for sleep now."

"Rhodeyyyy," Tony whined. "You don't understand. You're making fun of me, but he's perfect, and I love him, and we're going to get married and adopt a bunch of babies. He's sunshine, Rhodey. Literal sunshine."

Rhodey rolled his eyes fondly. "If you say so, Tony."

Tony pouted, feeling his eyes grow heavy like the child he kept proclaiming he wasn't. "You're the worst," he grumbled, rolling over and snuggling into his pillow. "Love you, Rhodey."

"Love you too"

*

Steve let himself into the apartment, relieved to find Bucky awake and watching cartoons on the couch, a bowl of cereal in his lap. Without preamble he dropped his bag and moved to join him, flopping face first onto the cushions, the top of his head nudging Bucky's thigh.

"Whyyyyyy. Why am I like this," he moaned into the fabric.

Bucky didn't even look away from the television. "What'd you do now?" he drawled, which was just rude if you asked Steve, not that anyone did. 

"I met the man of my dreams, and then I ruined it!"

"Just like always?"

"Just like always."

That at least got him Bucky's hand on the back of his head, stroking soothingly through his hair.

"Aww Stevie. I'm sure it ain't that bad."

"I snapped at him for thinking I was younger than I was. And then I told him a dad joke. A dad joke, Buck!"

"Did he laugh at least?"

"I mean, it sounded a little hysterical, but yeah."

"See, there ya go," Bucky encouraged, still half distracted by the cartoons on tv. "Call him up, ask him out. Nobody would laugh at your dumb jokes if they weren't at least a little bit interested."

There was a heavy silence, and Bucky glanced down at him. 

"Stevie? You did get his number, right?"

Steve only whined in return, and Bucky rolled his eyes.

"Well, there's always next time, pal."

"But I love him, Buck. He's adorable, and perfect, and I made him walk into a door. What is wrong with meeee?"

"You want that list sorted alphabetically, or by severity?"

***

A week later, and Steve was still pining over Tony. He knew it was a little ridiculous; their conversation hadn't even lasted five minutes. But he'd been fascinated by the other man, couldn't seem to get him out of his head. He knew he was probably driving Bucky crazy, moaning and pining around the apartment, but it wasn't like he hadn't sat through his share of Bucky crying over people not calling him back, so he could deal. Anyway, Bucky was at work, and so Steve was free to troll Facebook, trying to track Tony down for the umpteenth time in peace.

He was still there, curled into their ratty, thirdhand armchair, when Bucky came home with Clint in tow.

"Hey man!" Clint said around a mouthful of pizza. "How's it going?"

Steve just grunted in response as Bucky dropped the pizza box in his lap with a little more force than necessary. Bucky gave his laptop a pointed look and Steve flipped him the bird in response.

"What’s the matter with him?" Clint asked Bucky. 

"Ignore him," Bucky replied. "Please. He met some dude at work last week, and he's been crying over him ever since."

"Don't be jealous just because you don't understand our love," Steve retorted snottily. 

"You don't even know his last name, Steve. And stop stalking him!"

"I'm not stalking him!" Steve protested as Clint perched himself on the back of the chair behind Steve. “I’m just checking Facebook!

"For random dudes named Tony?" Bucky asked dryly

"Tony?" Clint repeated, interrupting their bickering. "I know Tony."

Bucky and Steve both went silent, turning to stare at him. "What??" They both asked at once.

"Yeah, sure. Little guy, right? Floppy hair, great ass, a little manic? Tony!"

"How... you... what?" Steve spluttered, because of all the Tony's in the world, that definitely sounded like his. "How do you know Tony?

"I met him doing the thing at the thing with the guy," Clint explained, which sounded about right for Clint.

"Can we call him?" Steve asked, the butterflies in his stomach taking over for his brain. "Like right now?"

"Steve, oh my god," Bucky groaned. "You can't just call him out of the blue after a thirty second conversation that was over a week ago. Then he really will think you'restalking him."

Steve pouted, but Clint clapped him comfortingly on his shoulder. "Lost my phone again," he admitted. "Can't call him anyway. But we are doing a group hangout thing tomorrow. Why don't you come?"

***

Steve was absurdly nervous, walking into the party-that-wasn’t-a-party with Bucky and Clint. He’d spent so long in front of the mirror, trying to make himself something approximating his actual age,that Bucky had finally physically picked him up, slung him over his shoulder, and carried him out the door, ignoring Steve’s protests that he was fucking up his t-shirt.

Clint had ended up crashing at their place (Steve wasn’t entirely convinced that he actually had his own home, and didn’t just rotate through all his friends’ couches) and they headed over together. He was bouncing on his toes as Clint led them inside with an “Everyone, this is Steve and Bucky!” and a chorus of voices called out hellos. Not one of them was Tony, and even though Clint had been positive that Tony would be there, Steve couldn’t help feeling disappointed.

“Jeez, Stevie,” Bucky hissed in his ear. “Calm the fuck down, would ya? You’re makin’ me look bad.”

He knew Bucky was just riling him up to distract him. He knew that, but that absolutely didn’t mean he wasn’t going to reciprocate. He twisted his head back to look at him, giving Bucky a glare. “When’re you gonna stop blaming me for that, Buck? You make yourself look plenty bad on your own.”

He couldn’t help sticking out his tongue at him, because when it came to Bucky he always regressed to an eight-year-old, and Bucky responded by giving him a shove. It was a little harder than necessary, enough that Steve stumbled slightly, and when he caught his balance and straightened up, Tony was coming out of the kitchen, practically hanging off the shoulders of a slightly taller black man.

Steve had half a second to feel jealous (oh god, what if after all this Tony wasn’t even available?) and then Tony’s head turned and he locked eyes with Steve. The two of them stared at each other for what Steve hoped wasn’t actually as long as it seemed, and then Tony made a sort of high-pitched wheezing noise and grabbed his friend’s head, turning him to face Steve as well.

“That’s him!” he yelped, making his friend wince. “You see him too, right? Tell me I’m not hallucinating. I swear, I actually slept last night, honeybear. I promise.”

Steve couldn’t help laughing a little, making Tony blink at him like he couldn’t believe his eyes. Bucky gave him another shove, a little lighter this time, and Steve closed the distance between them, his heart pounding the entire time.

“Uh. Hey,” he said, not really sure what to say now that he was here. He couldn’t help wincing, because how lame was that, and rubbed at the back of his neck. He opened his mouth, planning to apologize for showing up out of the blue, or for being such an ass when they’d first met, or maybe for just being so lame. But before he could speak, Tony started.

“I’ve been looking for you all week!” he blurted out, eyes wide and voice just a little too loud. “I went back to the minimart every single night, but you were never there!”

“Yeah,” Steve said, rubbing at the back of his neck again. “Yeah, I don’t usually work nights. I was just covering for someone.”

“I didn’t think of that,” Tony whispered softly to himself, making his friend snort softly in amusement.

Steve turned to him with a faint smile. “Uh, hi,” he said, aware of how rude he was being (and even if Bucky had the manners of a barnyard animal, Steve's mother had raised him better than that, thank you very much). “I’m Steve.”

“Yeah,” the man said dryly. “I got that. Tones hasn’t stopped talking about you for days. We were taking bets on if you were actually just a caffeine-induced hallucination.” He said it kindly though, and even though Tony flushed a little at the words, he looked pleased too. The other man held out his hand to Steve. “James Rhodes. Please ignore Tony staring at you in awe. He hasn’t slept all week, and I’m pretty sure he just chugged three straight Red Bulls when I wasn’t looking. And apparently you’re - how did you phrase it, Tony? - the literal personification of his dreams.”

“I hate you so much,” Tony told him cheerfully, but he looked pleased despite the faint flush on his cheeks. Steve could feel his own face burning bright hot at the comment, but that only seemed to make Tony more delighted.

“Well, you’re in good company then,” Bucky said from over Steve’s shoulder, and Steve almost startled because he hadn’t even realized Bucky was there. “I’m… also James,” he said, reaching over to shake Rhodes’ hand when Tony didn’t so much as look at him, too busy staring at Steve. He nudged Steve with his hip. “Stevie here’s been tryin’ to Facebook stalk you all week.”

Steve felt his eyes go wide. “Buck,” he hissed, wanting to disappear into the floor.

“Okay, no,” Tony declared suddenly. “You two are evil, and we don’t need you anymore.” He grabbed Steve’s hand then, and while Steve was still absorbing this new development, Tony started pulling him toward the door. “Let’s go somewhere away from the evil Jameses.”

“Uh, I don’t know if we should really leave them alone,” Steve said, only half joking when he glanced over his shoulder to see the two of them already laughing together conspiratorially, probably about him.

Tony glanced back to give him an absolutely brilliant smile. “Don’t you worry, gorgeous. They try anything and we’ll get our sweet, sweet revenge.” And, well. Who was Steve to argue with that?

They ended up on the roof, where someone had dragged a ratty old couch. Tony was still holding his hand, and Steve couldn’t quite stop himself focusing on the drag of Tony’s callouses against his skin. He was so focused, in fact, that he completely missed Tony speaking to him until he was pulling his hand away to flop down on the couch, grinning brightly up at Steve.

“Um.” Steve blinked at him, smiling sheepishly. “Sorry, what? I’m, uh... little hard of hearing.”

Tony just grinned even wider, not phased in the slightest, and spread his arms out against the back of the couch. “I said I know it’s all a little movie cliche, but...”

Steve shrugged. “I kinda like movie cliches,” he admitted, eyes locked on Tony. 

“You do, huh? Well, here’s looking at you, kid.”

Steve snickered. “I’m gonna make you an offer you can’t refuse.”

Tony’s eyes were sparkling now. “Toto, I’ve got a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”

“Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn.”

“You talking to me?”

“I coulda been a contender!”

“Rosebuuuuuuuuuuuuuuud!” Tony wailed finally, making Steve dissolve into laughter, clutching at the arm of the couch as Tony giggled right along with him.

“Uh, sorry for being such a dick when we met the other night,” Steve said, when he’d caught his breath again.

Tony laughed. “Sorry for assuming you were actually a child. I mean, I didn’t _actually_ think you were a child. At least, I really hoped you weren’t. I just have no brain-to-mouth filter, and things just come out even when they don’t make sense, and I hadn’t slept in about 72 hours which makes it worse.” He trailed off, then reached up, grabbing Steve’s hand to yank him down on the seat beside him. “Would you sit down around? You’re making me nervous.”

Steve landed on the cushion with a soft ’oof,’ faceplanting into the back of the seat. He was pretty sure Tony was laughing at him when he lifted his head again, but found he didn’t mind all that much. “Sorry,” he said, locking eyes with him once more. “I, uh. _I’m_ kinda nervous,” he admitted.

“Of what?” Tony asked blankly, before his eyes widened. “Of _me_? Don’t be nervous of me. I’m a train wreck.”

“Well.” Steve could feel his cheeks flushing bright red, and he couldn’t quite meet Tony’s eyes, but he forced himself to power through anyway. “That may be, but you’re a very cute train wreck. And Bucky made me sound like a creep, I know, but I’ve kinda been thinking about you a lot since you came in, and I know, I mean, I’m short, and scrawny, and I’ve got about a million and one health issues - and I probably shouldn’t open with that because insecurity is never appealing, and I'm not even that insecure about it, but I wanna be honest because, well. I was wondering if you’d maybe like to go out with me?”

He lifted his head at that, finally looking at Tony. The other man was grinning back at him, biting at his lower lip and looking almost... nervous?

“Isn’t that what we’re doing here?” Tony asked.

“Oh, well, I mean... I was kinda hoping so, but I didn’t want to just presume, and -“

He was cut off as Tony shifted suddenly, cupping Steve’s face in his hands and kissing him. Steve made a surprised noise before his hands moved up, curling around Tony’s wrists. It was a little awkward, neither of them quite used to each other, but it was perfect all the same.

“Louis,” Tony breathed against Steve’s lips, when they finally pulled back for air. “I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”


End file.
